How to test for reception prior to going digital

[bep]

I have mentioned ,in the past, that I sit is a reception hole. My choices are limited on exterior antennas, but I am addressing that. My question is, I want to get a digital base scanner for VSP, but I want to be sure that I will receive the signal. Is there a channel that I can set an analog scanner to, so I can see if there is a signal.

Does anyone know if there is someone that will/will assist me in getting my Scantenna on the roof? I am in Va. Beach.

Thanks all, drive safe

 

[Jonesym20]

your best bet would be to program the control channel for the chesapeake tower of the STARS network into your scanner. this can be found at Virginia Statewide Agencies Radio System (STARS) Trunking System, Statewide, Virginia - Scanner Frequencies and it is site 1-014 (pick the blue channels as these are the primary control channels). If you plug in this channel to your analog scanner, you obviously won't hear voices, but you should hear data. Kinda similar to what pagers sound like. Its hard to explain. maybe someone on RR has posted a clip of what a digital trunked control channel sounds like. try a quick search.

hope this helps.

 

[fmon]

Current control channel for Chesapeake tower is 1527425 Red (which are primary) Blues are alt cvontrols,

 

[Jonesym20]

good call fmon...my bad.

 

[bep]

Well this is JUST GREAT
Thank you for your help, it appears that I do receive a signal. With current funds, I was hoping right now I would not receive a good signal, but I do get a great one. Better than City of Va. Beach.

Decisions, decisions, decisions

Thanks again

 

[W4UVV]

Mast mount preamp if needed

I have mentioned ,in the past, that I sit is a reception hole. My choices are limited on exterior antennas, but I am addressing that. My question is, I want to get a digital base scanner for VSP, but I want to be sure that I will receive the signal. Is there a channel that I can set an analog scanner to, so I can see if there is a signal.

Does anyone know if there is someone that will/will assist me in getting my Scantenna on the roof? I am in Va. Beach.

Thanks all, drive safe

After installation of your Scantenna if your reception is poor with frequent acquisition lock loss of a target trunked system's control channel I recommend you install the Radio Shack vhf/fm/uhf tv mast mount preamp on your Scantenna. I use them on all my Scantennas and analog/digital scanners. They work great. You will need a 300/75 ohm balun and a short RG6 coax cable jumper with male F connectors to add the preamp. The Scantenna is slightly directional. Mount the Scantenna with a mast mount preamp as high as practical and point the "pitchforks" toward Norfolk. Digital scanners are not sensitive compared to analog scanners and strong signals insure above threshold reception with one possible exception. My experience has shown the GRE/RS base/mobile scanners are prone to strong input signal overload. If such occurs the input signal can be reduced in strength by using different 75 ohm valued attenuators. Using the same antenna input split equally I had to attenuate the input signal at 36db for the PSR600 to perform as it should. My 996T and 996XT had no front end overload problem using the same equally split input signal.